The Way Things Were
by vectormatrix
Summary: a god-like enitity decides to change reality so that Buffy & co. can live in carefree happiness once again
1. Introduction

Haasim Mahanaim  
  
The Way Things Were  
  
August 13, 2002  
  
Introduction  
  
There is a town called, Sunnydale. It is a place filled with mystical dangers and horrors that remain unseen to most of the outside world. In this place, demons and monsters are commonplace and remain unseen during the day waiting to move through the shadows of the night. In this place of magic and fantasy, there is such as thing as evil and it relentlessly attempts to strike fear and misery to the citizens of this town. It is difficult to imagine such a place could allow for happiness and friendship and all of the joys that this force tries to destroy.  
  
For reasons unknown to the unsuspecting people of Sunnydale, there is a hero who's destiny is to protect others from those who threaten their way of life. But she's a tragic character. - A girl forced to deal with a burden that surpasses the responsibilities of any ordinary adult. After struggling with her destiny, she came to realize that her power is something that defines her in a way that she no longer regrets. Unfortunately, her struggle for personal happiness has left her feeling broken and jaded and her only comfort comes from her family. - A family of people who are not bonded by blood, but instead share a loyalty and trust that is never questioned, never failed, but certainly tested by the extraordinary circumstances of their lives.  
  
There are times when battling the forces of evil is regarded as a trivial task, without much element of danger and even strangely exciting. - Instead of living ordinary lives without fear or concern, this group lives a life filled with adventure, bad guys and playful retorts.  
  
But every year comes a point when they encounter a challenge that cannot be so easily confronted. It is a time when the playfulness ends and the reality of how dangerous the world is begins to reemerge. Yet, the past year has caused this family to encounter a challenge they have never faced before, real life. - In the past year they struggled with trying to maintain their happiness with each other, while trying to deal with the realities of adult life, including the responsibilities of raising a teenaged child, earning money and confronting the darkness within themselves.  
  
And even though they faced all of these challenges together, they began to realize that at some point families must separate and some obstacles must be dealt wit on their own. In this past year, they also dealt with their worst fear an enemy they could not and would not want to defeat, their friend.  
  
Willow was almost the embodiment of everything a person should be, but she had a dark secret, the kind of secret everyone knows about but quietly hopes will go away. The same supernatural forces that allowed for demons and monsters to go bump in the night were also present in this family's most relied upon member. - Unlike the hero who is responsible for this family's existence, Willow's destiny is not clear and it was her choice to tap into the mystic powers within her and use them for good in the fight against the evils the combat everyday.  
  
Unfortunately, Willow was not perfect, she was a only human being who seemed like everything a person should be, but in fact had a past filled with the awkwardness and regret that most teenagers experience in life. But instead of learning to let go of that pain, she found a way to be the exciting and powerful person she had always desired to be. And with this power her thirst for more grew, until she was no longer the sweet natured girl that this family loved and relied upon. Instead she was a person possessed by the evils inherent in the excessive power she possessed, making her an enemy of the family she had no longer had a need for.  
  
But despite the raw emotions and danger of this situation, this family wanted their friend back and they knew that their lives were worth risking if it meant they could find a way to bring back their friend.  
  
Unlike other challenges, this was not a battle that was won over a single day nor did it have a clear moment of victory. In the end, it took the effort of this entire family and the unconditional love of Willow's childhood friend to save her, to bring her back from the brink of destruction.  
  
It was a sad year for members of this family, not just for those who were apart of it, but also for those who were observing this. The forces that endowed a young teenager with the power to save the world also keep watch over this town, quietly deciding when and how much to help in dire situations where hope seems to be a fantasy.  
  
These forces and their reluctance to interfere with our world are not easily understood. But they watch us, silently aware of our struggles and sacrifices. - However, one of these entities could no longer bare the sadness of a family filled with so much goodness and love. So it decided to make a decision that violates the sacred laws that dictate the use of his power. He decided that he would have to make the most blatant interference any of his kind had ever attempted. He had decided that he must change the course of time and reality itself to set things right and take time back to the way things were. 


	2. A Perfect World

Haasim Mahanaim The Way Things Were  
  
Chapter 1 A Perfect World  
  
Willow awoke from a peaceful nap in her bedroom. The sunlight through her window suggested it was early afternoon. - For a moment she was worried about the consequence of missing her morning classes. But she then realized that it was Sunday and even had it been a weekend, it wouldn't have mattered. Somehow ever thing felt perfect, but in a way that feels new and exciting even though the sources of happiness in her life have remained constant for as long as she could remember.  
  
She was still feeling groggy and had not changed positions since waking up. Unwilling to leave her comfort of her bed, she resumed her tugging of her blanket, hoping that her companion would release her only source of warmth. But then she realized that there are always alternatives.  
  
Finally refusing to fight for control of her blanket she moved closer to her bunkmate and gently embraced him while her hair softly stroked his face as he slept.  
  
But she ultimately realized that she had awoken him, but judging from his expression, he certainly didn't mind. In fact, in his eyes she could see a person who was hypnotized by her in ways she dared not consider until this morning.  
  
The past night had been the most memorable experience of her life. And she spent that night with someone who she never had thought of as a person who would at a loss for words. Yet, as she quietly stared into his eyes, she saw a person who was vulnerable and excited and enthralled by her all at the same time. They had always shared a deep friendship with each other. But she had always quietly fantasized about what it would be like to wake up in bed next to him and to be able to touch him and embrace him without fear of rejection.  
  
For Willow, Alexander represents all the attributes of a soul mate. Yet, it seemed as if nobody but her ever saw him in that way. And none of that mattered, because for her, Xander was perfect. And it was an amazing feeling to know that just by looking at him she could understand that he feels all of those same things towards her aswell.  
  
  
  
After the inseparable couple took a romantic shower, Xander attempted to dazzle and amaze the family by cooking a gourmet breakfast consisting of strawberry covered crepes with cinnamon toast and a fruit drink concoction her charismatically referred to as 'da juice'.  
  
Buffy walked into the kitchen from a night out of town. - Joyce was a mother who made mistakes just like any other parent, yet somehow she seemed to be everything Willow and Xander had wished there parents would be.  
  
Willow and Xander cheerfully greeted Buffy as she entered the kitchen to raid the refrigerator. But Xander quickly offrered her a sampling of da juice and watched eagerly for her to give a reaction.  
  
"Isn't this just Tropicana orange juice?" Buffy was wearing her trademark leather ensemble that resembled the uniform of a biker chick gang. Yet, Buffy always managed to emote a sense of confidence or vulnerability while wearing that jacket often giving people a sense of who she is at the moment, despite her physical appearance.  
  
"No it's Tropicanna Tangerine with rum." Xander then resumed his attention to serving Willow her breakfast.  
  
Buffy then began to move towards an empty stool but then saw Willow give an expression of mild disappointment, which Buffy quickly realized was a hint to site on the other side of the table.  
  
While serving breakfast to Buffy, the two women realized that Xander was wearing an apron with the caption 'kiss the cook". Somehow, it seemed unoriginal for someone of his personality. But then she realized the unfortunate incident when Xander inadvertently used an apron for a Thanksgiving dinner that was given to him from a friend who worked at sex shop. Ever since, Xander was somewhat less intense with his humor, but still likable nonetheless.  
  
"How's your mom?" Willow impulsively smiled as Xander sat next to her, but then reverted to an expression of seriousness when she resumed eye contact with Buffy.  
  
She then gave a brief, but reassuring summary of her weekend in Los Angeles. She explained how the experimental procedure that removed mother's brain tumor, was showing no signs of regrowth.  
  
"It's been six months and they say all of the show she's totally healthy."  
  
"See, I told you she'd be fine."  
  
Willow had a way of always putting everyone at ease. But for some reason Buffy had an intense feeling that something was wrong with her mother despite every indication that stated otherwise. In fact, the feeling felt so intense that Buffy had considered asking Willow to do some mystical investigating to find out if there was any chance her intuition was based on something. But before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door.  
  
But of course, the front door was almost never locked and the footsteps of the visitor could be heard approaching the kitchen.  
  
"Hey guys." Samantha was average height, if she were a man, with long black hair and brown highlights. She had an exotic face that seemed to be the combination of a variety of ethnicities. As usual she wore unassuming clothing that was stylish but mostly functional. - An opened blue jean jacket revealed she was wearing a plain white T-Shirt as a top along with some gray track pants and plain white running shoes.  
  
"Hey." Xander replied.  
  
Sam took a stool and sat next to Buffy while reaching for a jug of the drink on the table.  
  
"Dare I ask? Did you make da juice."  
  
Xander nodded while watching Sam pour a drink.  
  
"Anyone with the sense to know that booze is a requirement for breakfast is alright in my book." Sam playfully smirked after her little comment and turned her attention to the group. "So is everything okay?"  
  
They all a nodded in a agreement while Buffy quietly said "Yeah." Sam then asked. "Happy your mom is ok?" Buffy again nodded in agreement. Sam then turned her attention to Willow. "And you're happy that you're in a fulfilling hetero-sexual relationship that satisfies you childhood fantasies?" after receiving another affirmative nod from Xander and Willow, Sam took one last sip of da Juice and sat up from his stool.  
  
"Alright, excellent. See you later." She then walked out of the kitchen and despite not hearing footsteps or a door being closed they assumed she had left the house.  
  
Buffy starred at the doorway. "That was weird."  
  
"What's weird?" Willow asked.  
  
"She didn't try the crepes, I thought she loved crepes." She then returned to eating her breakfast while Willow and Xander demonstrated their inability to refrain from bodily contact for more than five minutes.  
  
After a few moments they heard footsteps approaching the kitchen yet again. Assuming that Sam had not yet left the house they quietly sat in the kitchen lost in their own thoughts.  
  
A woman then walked into a kitchen, "Morning guys. - Where's Dawn?" Before she received an answer Tara approached the refrigerator but was quickly confronted by Buffy.  
  
"Who are you?" Buffy was not sure if the girl standing before was a threat or not, but she was trespasser and she had no idea why this women had a look of shock on her face as if she belonged in this home.  
  
"Buffy what's wrong with you?" Tara was pinned against the fridge while Buffy questionly looked at the young woman.  
  
"How do you know my name? And who's Dawn?"  
  
Before Tara could answer, Sam suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "Buffy, just a sec. -Tara that trance thing you were trying hasn't worn off yet."  
  
Tara seemed confused, but not disoriented. It was a frightening feeling, but she had been in situations where magical spells had given the illusion of familiarity so she decided to trust Sam's explanation as they walked out of the house.  
  
While Tara waited outside, Willow and Buffy spoke to Sam inside the house while standing next to the front door.  
  
"Who is she?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Just a friend."  
  
"She said something about a trance."  
  
"Just magic stuff, she's harmless."  
  
"She's into magic?" Willow quickly seemed enthusiastic to learn more. "Why haven't we met her before?"  
  
"Oh, I guess I never got around to introducing her. Anyway, we'll hang out some time, ok?"  
  
Sam left the house with Tara and brought her back to her small house on the outskirts of Sunnydale. She was still feeling some anxiety from what happened earlier, but after some added reassurance Tara began to relax. Sam and Tara then hugged for a moment and snuggled on the living room couch while watching television.  
  
Samantha softly stroked Tara's hair while her body pressed onto her, lost in her thoughts, quietly trying to justify her deception and the ongoing manipulation that must not be discovered. - In retrospect, Samantha realized she should have anticipated that the mystical energies within Tara would alert her of changes in reality. Samantha had decided that this was all for the best and despite a period of discomfort and anxiety Tara's life will be a fulfilling one. Meanwhile, Buffy and her sidekicks would get a second chance to preserve the happiness Samantha desperately wanted them to have.  
  
However, now knowing that Tara is inclined to perceiving changes in reality, Samantha must now take steps to ensure that Tara does not discover she is not meant to be in this world. - Such a discovery would be too cruel for Samantha to endure and she feared how far she would go to prevent them from destroying what her creation.  
  
In order to create this reality, events and lives had to be altered or brought back or left in the limbo of oblivion. Buffy would no longer have a sister, but Samantha never cared much for Dawn and her presence would only destabilize the state of happiness she has created. And its not as if the essence of Dawn was wiped out, instead, her life would continue as the entity she was always meant to be. - Free of the troubles and worries of this world. Meanwhile Alexander's alternate lover, Anyanka, never truly redeemed herself in the eyes of Samantha and since her attempt at love proved to be a failure, Samantha decided she was not a needed component for this perfect world.  
  
Outside the thought of Samantha's mind, Tara had fallen asleep. - Samantha then turned off the television and gently carried Tara into their room.  
  
Everything was perfect. And Samantha knew that there would be consequences for her actions. - A god must not interfere in such a bold manner. But Samantha knew that regardless of what lied ahead, she had done a wonderful thing, something entirely altruistic and virtuous of a benevolent god.  
  
And as the bedroom closed, Tara woke up and Samantha decided took take this opportunity to prove how loving she can be. 


	3. Author's Commentary

Haasim Mahanaim The Way Things Were - Author's Commentary vector_matrix@digiverse.net | http://digiverse.net/vectormatrix  
  
While writing the first chapter of this story I realized there was nothing particularly engaging about simply rehashing situations and events that have already happened on the television series. To be honest, this story has been mostly an exercise in writing and I'm not entirely sure how uncertainly the end result will be. Yet, when I get feedback for stories I'm usually surprised by the aspects of my stories that entertain people. - For that reason, I was curious to see how people would respond to this story on the fanfiction.net archive. - As I write this, there has only been one review of the story and it was the briefest response I have ever seen, "interesting". [Well at least that's better than being 'not interesting'.]  
  
Towards completion of the first chapter I realized that I could probably end the story the way it is. But I do have some ideas I would like to pursue in the continuation of this story and I like the idea of exploring Samantha's intensions and her perception of what is right and wrong. - At first I was worried about creating a god-like character that is so flawed, but I now that the characterization of Samantha is consistent with the Buffyverse and the morally imperfect entities (eg: Gloria) that have been shown thus far. 


End file.
